Tim Tebow will be keeping a watchful eye on where all the top quarterbacks like Joe Flacco, Alex Smith, Matt Flynn and Tarvaris Jackson sign, as the ones that are left over could be solid options for him to go to in a trade.
In professional football, especially the NFL, the best way to sustain success and make the playoffs on a consistent basis is to constantly rework and retool the roster.
Some coaches and general managers do this better than others, as evidenced by Bill Belichick and the Patriots as well as Tom Coughlin and Jerry Reese of the New York Giants. The free agency period in the NFL is one of the best ways to add depth and solid players to the roster and this year there are a number of players out there looking for new opportunities on new teams.
The quarterback position is the hardest to fill and this year it likely will be even harder, as the new draft class is weak compared to last season and the free agent crop isn't much better. There are a number of names that have played significantly in the NFL, but not as big time starters, including Matt Moore, Tarvaris Jackson, Rex Grossman, Derek Anderson, Byron Leftwich and more.
The top options at quarterback, free agent or not, are Ravens champ Joe Flacco, who is set to get a new deal, as well as Alex Smith and Matt Flynn, both who are backups that are likely to be traded, as well as Tarvaris Jackson and Drew Stanton.
Sports World Report took a look at the top free agent players, running backs and wide receivers. Here is a look at some of the quarterbacks.
Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens
Flacco bet on himself earlier this year when he pushed back an extension from the Ravens, now he has a Super Bowl and he wants to be paid like Tom Brady. His agent is asking for him to be the highest paid quarterback in the league, but that probably won't happen since it is not the way the Ravens do business.
Peter King has hinted that the team might let Flacco walk if his demands are too high, but it is likely that the sides will come to an agreement. The Ravens have a choice though as they can designate him a franchise player or an exclusive franchise player, meaning they could possibly get compensation if someone else signs him. Flacco was amazing during the playoffs, throwing 11 touchdowns and zero interceptions and he was a huge part of the reason the Ravens made it to the game in the first place.
If he opts not to sign with Baltimore, he could end up with the Browns, Bills or even with his home town New York Jets (he's from Jersey).
David Carr, New York Giants
Carr was formerly the starter in Houston but he was beaten up so much by poor offensive lines that he had no choice but to become a backup. He has been a steadying presence with the Giants during his time there and the coaches loved what he had been doing in practice and with Eli Manning. He could be a replacement starter for a just a little while with some teams as they work out a new starting quarterback and he still is fairly young at 32, although he has attempted just 61 passes since 2007. He was taken number one overall out of Fresno State and could be a surprise pickup by someone including the Browns, 49ers, Seahawks and Vikings.
Tarvaris Jackson, Buffalo Bills
Jackson was randomly traded for a draft pick right before the season started and he never got a shot in Buffalo behind Ryan Fitzpatrick and Tyler Thigpen. He proved to be a solid starter while with the Vikings and he is young and mobile, something that the NFL is gearing towards these days. Although he lacks the explosiveness of a Robert Griffin, he could be a suitable option for teams looking to go that way in their offensive attack, including the Jets, Vikings, Dolphins and Browns.
Drew Stanton, Indianapolis Colts
Stanton was a solid quarterback when he had a chance in Detroit and now that he is behind Andrew Luck there is no chance he is playing in Indy. Rumors say that he could be following his former coach Bruce Arians to Arizona where he would be an upgrade over what they had last year with John Skelton, Kevin Kolb and Ryan Lindley. Stanton is still young at 28 and could be a fill in option until next year's draft.
